World of Top Gear

If you've ever wondered what happened to the cars that were battered, modified and generally ruined by the BBC's Top Gear team, we have some excellent news!

Because not even the dodgiest used car dealers would buy them, we’ve lovingly gathered them up and displayed them in the World of Top Gear - a special exhibition in homage to the world's biggest car show.

NEW FOR 2017

With vehicles from every era of the Top Gear challenges, World of Top Gear is now bang up to date with a brand new studio in the Enormodrome and fresh, new exhibits from filming with Matt LeBlanc, Chris Harris and Rory Reid.

Watch the video from the official opening, featuring none other than Top Gear presenter Chris Harris and The Stig!

The Top Gear Enormodrome

Experience what it's like inside the Top Gear TV studio with a visit to the Enormodrome which recreates the feel of the iconic set.

The Challenge Gallery

See the Top Gear challenge cars in the condition they were left after filming - with new ones arriving every series straight from the film set!

HERITAGE CORRIDOR TIMELINE

In homage to the past, a heritage corridor timeline pays tribute to the show’s 40-year history.

SNAP A SELFIE

Take a seat in the world’s longest limousine selfie spot. Dress as a granny and pose in the grannymobile. Or hop into the trailer hooked behind the Jaguar XJS Sport Train.

TEST TRACK CHALLENGE

Test your driving skills with remote-control models of the Top Gear challenge cars on a scaled-down version of the Top Gear Test Track (extra charge applies).

TOP GEAR SIMULATOR

Feel the thrill of racing round the Dunsfold Park test track in a Caterham and a Bugatti Veyron (extra charge applies).

Starring: The Top Gear Challenge Cars

Vehicles straight from every era of BBC's Top Gear challenges can be seen on show at Beaulieu. These are just some of our favourites....

SsangYacht

Series 24, Episode 7

Upon learning that the Ssangyong Rodius was inspired by the world of luxury yachting, Rory Reid set out on a mission: to turn it into a superyacht.

Out went all the disappointing car stuff and in came all the bling. An on-board grand piano (ok, small piano), a pop-up flatscreen telly... and of course Top Gear's patented high-pressure waste disposal system, the Torpoodo.

The finished product? Spectacular. Well, certainly less awful than the original Rodius.

High Mileage Cars

Series 24, Episode 1

There are high-mileage cars, there are really high-mileage cars, and then there are these.

Tasked with buying cars with at least 480,000 miles on the clock – the distance to the Moon and back – Matt, Chris and Rory were then told to put them to the test on the wide-open spaces of Kazakhstan.

Visit Beaulieu to see Chris's Volvo V70, which survived more than 670,000 miles and Matt’s Mercedes E-class which read over 800,000. OK, kilometres rather than miles, true, but that’s still a big number.

The Old People's Car

Series 19, Episode 4

Beaulieu is home to the actual Fiat Multipla which Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond converted into a car for old people (such as James May).

With stunning bodywork painted the exact same colour as a hearing aid and waterproof front seats to cater for those, erm... little accidents, the car is basically a work of genius.

Please overlook the displaced panels and slight lack of wheels which were caused by Jeremy's over-exuberant slip road warning system.

Dampervan

Series 10, Episode 2

Marvel at the actual Volkswagen camper van that Richard Hammond used when he took part in the second version of the now-legendary Top Gear amphibious challenges.

Still sporting its distinctive blue livery, this stately queen of the waves offers an impressive theoretical top speed of 7, although we can't remember if that's in knots or something else.

However, the grand old dame of the waters isn’t just about speed. Her proudest boast is that she has the facilities on board to make tea for up to three or even four people.

Reliant Robin Space Shuttle

Series 9, Episode 4

Beaulieu is home to the actual Reliant Robin which DIDN'T go up into orbit as part of the ill fated Top Gear space programme.

The exhibit you can see at Beaulieu is Reliant 2, the craft which would have been used on the second mission, had the first one not ended in such a massive and disappointing fireball somewhere over Northumberland.

Indestructible Toyota Hilux

Series 3, Episode 5

See the actual car driven by Jeremy Clarkson and inadvertently placed on top of an exploding tower block by James May.

Originally bought as part of a plan to redesign the Top Gear studio set, Jeremy decided to find out if it was possible to kill this 'cockroach of the car world.'

Unfortunately both Clarkson and May failed in their efforts to stop the plucky Toyota from working, and it can now be see rising out of the smoke in the World of Top Gear.

Our first port of call was the Top Gear experience. We absolutely loved it! Showing highlights of this extraordinary series, set amongst cars and memorabilia from the series (the Stig's suit!!!), this just refreshed the memories and made me so happy to be there.